How to Give my Face a Contoured, Feminine Shape?

I am 21 years old, in good health (5'4 at about 120-125 pounds) and face is too round and has no real shape. I already had a rhinoplasty and chin implant which helped my profile but not my frontal view in the least. I have no double chin or excess fat on my neck but there is excess fat around the jawline/lower chin/jowl area. Can liposuction help? What other procedures would you recommend for me to give my face a nice shape? Buccal fat removal? Jaw implant? Sliding genioplasty? Thanks.

Doctor Answers (9)

Botox injections to give your face a more contoured / feminine shape

For starters it is time to ease up on surgeries - you are young and have a beautiful, natural look. Any more surgery and you very well may end up looking unnatural and strange.

Your desire to have more contour to your face is a common one. I would consider doing botox injections to the side of your face and jaw to help provide a more feminine contoured appearance for you. The area injected is actually the masseter muscle located on both sides of your jaw bone (if you bite down hard and feel the side of your cheeks you can feel this muscle). Once the botox softens this muscle you can imagine the nice contours and angle that can be achieved.

It is easy to do and nonsurgical which will keep things natural for you.

Facial implant San Diego

July 23rd, 2011

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You are young and attractive, enjoy your beauty.
True, your lower facial (mandibular) height seems deficient in the photo. This could be improved by an Orthognathic procedure that may significantly advance your situation if the appearance is troubling for you, as you suggest. Chin implant probably did not offer the solution you were hoping for because it improves chin projection, but not height.

Lower Face Lift Pictures

You do not need any surgery

June 8th, 2011

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You are 21 years old and as you start going through the aging process your face will naturally thin. I would not suggest any surgery for you, you have a lovely face. I would stop with any further procedures and concentrate on becoming comfortable with the lovely person I am sure you are from inside and out! Best regards!

On the right track with chin implant but...

June 7th, 2011

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You were smart to have someone place a chin implant, as your mandible structure (width, height, and profile) were probably on the weak side, in terms of relative facial proportions. There is a facial aesthetic proportion rule of the vertical "thirds": the forhead, height of the nose, and the nasal base to chin distance should ideally be equal proportions. Also, the horizontal rule of "fifths" explains the ideal proprotion of having the width of the mandible match the lateral canthi. When we apply these rules to your face, your mandible is still on the weak side, especially in facial height and mandibular width.

It is possible that a larger chin implant and also lateral mandibular rami implants would help these proportional issues for you. I believe that these type of changes will provide you with the more sculpted facial proportion that you are seeking. Full blown orthognathic surgery may be overkill here, but certainly a consultation with someone that can evalute the cosmetics of your mandible would be a propos. Perhaps a friendly ENT-facial plastic surgeon or a cosmetic oral maxillofacial surgeron your area might be able to give you more specific suggestions.

Stop having surgery

June 6th, 2011

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You are 21-years-old and are not overweight. Your face is full and youthful. Most people want extra volume in their face and you have it naturally. As you age, you will appear younger than your more "chiseled" friends. I would encourage you to avoid any further facial surgery.

The tone of your post also made me wonder if you are obsessing about your facial features? I may be totally off here, but if you find you are spending a fair amount of time focusing on minor areas of your face, you may want to talk to your primary care provider about your thoughts. A fair number of young people who have several facial surgical procedures have a condition called Body Dysmorphic Disorder. It's a treatable problem but needs to be diagnosed - and the only way to diagnose it, is to talk about it. I would hate for you to continue having facial procedures and never feel totally happy with your results. Again, I may be totally off but wanted to address this very important issue.

I would caution AGAINST Buccal Fat removal

May 18th, 2011

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Having a full face and round cheeks is a sign of youth. Simply do a bit of research to see what concerns women in their 30's and 40's are looking to correct...Volume Loss is at the top of the list. You will find that over the next 5-15 years your cheeks and lower face will thin and you will have the desired (more chiseled) look you are wanting. If you choose buccal fat removal in your early 20's, you may be happy with the result for the next few years- BUT you will be faced with a more aged and thin look in your face in your early to mid thirties. I have a patient in my practice that is facing this exact issue. At 35 she is attractive, youthful and vibrant...but her face looks a bit tired and "deflated". She had her buccal fat removed by another surgeon when she was 22 and now, at 35, she is seeking to volumize her face with fillers such as sculptra and radiesse which will cost her approximately $3,000-$5,000 every 5 years. Although this may not be the answer that you are looking for- you may find that a visit to a professional make up artist to learn the trick to contouring facial features with blush and bronzers will get you through the next few years.

Be Careful About Thinning Your Face

May 13th, 2011

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You are quite young and your face will change considerably on its own in just the next few years. You should expect natural loss of the fat in your cheeks as you age. Twenty or Thirty years from now I think you will be unhappy if you have fat removed today. Once fat is surgically removed from your face, it is difficult to get it back and it is very likely that at some point you will want it back. While you are young, a temporary loss of facial fat can be achieved by endurance activities such as long-distance running. I would suggest consulting with a personal trainer before considering any surgery.

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